Prepaid short messaging

ABSTRACT

A prepaid messaging solution which uses open networking standards (e.g., TCP/IP) and which supports pre-payment of enhanced Internet messaging services. The disclosed prepaid architectures and methods accurately determine if a subscriber has sufficient account balance to deliver a complete short message, prior to delivery of the message. The short message may be prevented from being delivered (either at the source end or at the destination end) if insufficient funds are in the subscriber&#39;s account. A prepaid tariff engine is preferably extensible over a TCP/IP network, and supports remote interaction with the SMSC and web chat servers for the purpose of applying a real-time billing charge for each message. A service provider may create subscriber classes of service that define and uniquely identify subscriber rate and/or tariffing plans used to apply real-time billing charges for sending or receiving of messages. The prepaid short message tariff engine determines the appropriate message billing based upon, e.g., flat rate per message, message count (e.g., 10 messages @ $ 5.00), character count (e.g., $0.01/char.), Time of Day, Day of Week (i.e., peak &amp; non-peak hours), type of message, and/or mobile location (i.e., network point code). The prepaid short messaging service preferably supports Internet web page access to subscriber&#39;s relating to their short messaging account balances and status maintained in the prepaid short messaging database of the prepaid messaging server.

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/185,053 to Titus et al., filed Feb. 25, 2000,entitled “Prepaid Messaging”, the entirety of which is expresslyincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates generally to short messaging systems. Moreparticularly, it relates to prepaid billing of short message services.

[0004] 2. Background of Related Art

[0005] Prepaid voice services exist. In a prepaid voice scenario, aspart of the establishment of a telephone call, a service queries adatabase for a particular subscriber to determine if there is at least agiven amount of funds available to pay for a call about to be made. Insuch a prepaid voice scenario, the ultimate cost of the desiredtelephone call is not known at that time, because the caller may notknow the exact length of time that they would like to speak. Thus, a‘minimum’ cost of the telephone call given the location of the calledparty (e.g., for a 3 minute call) may be determined, and compared to theremaining balance in the caller's service account. If there issufficient money remaining to pay for at least the minimum cost of thetelephone call (e.g., to pay for a minimum 3 minute call), then the callis allowed to go through and be established.

[0006] In the conventional prepaid voice system, when the subscriber'saccount has been exhausted or nearly exhausted, the subscriber isinitially warned about the dwindling account balance. Ultimately, if theaccount balance is not replenished in time, the telephone call will beterminated due to lack of funds.

[0007] Conventionally, when a called party does not answer a telephonecall, a voice message may be left in a voice mailbox. However, since thetelephone call was not answered, there typically is no tariffing or costapplied to the subscriber's account. While this may be advantageous tothe subscriber, the wireless carrier service does not recover costs withrespect to that voice message.

[0008] Nevertheless, while prepayment for voice telephone calls has beenaccomplished, existing technologies have not applied the concepts ofpre-payment to the world of short messaging (e.g., Internet messagingdelivery services) as have prepaid wireless voice & calling cards. Thelack of pre-payment service for messaging increases the possibility forfraudulent billing with respect to payment collections, particularlywith respect to the high demand for wireless information services.

[0009] There is a need for an architecture and method for providingprepaid messaging services.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In accordance with the principles of the present invention, amethod and apparatus for handling a prepaid messaging service comprisestariffing a short message before transmission. An account database isqueried to determine if an account corresponding to an addressed partyof the short message has sufficient funds to pay for transmission of theshort message. If the account has sufficient funds, the short message istransmitted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the following description withreference to the drawings, in which:

[0012]FIG. 1 shows an exemplary prepaid SMSC mobile originated mobilechat scenario in an implementation including a prepaid messaging systemcontroller (SMSC) mobile originated (MO) chat, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of exemplary modules in a prepaidmessaging system providing a prepaid messaging service, in accordancewith the principles of the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 3 shows an exemplary process of implementing prepaidmessaging services, in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention.

[0015]FIG. 4 shows the step of performing message tariffing shown inFIG. 3 in more detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0016] The present invention provides a prepaid messaging solution whichuses open networking standards (e.g., TCP/IP) and which supportspre-payment of enhanced Internet messaging services. The disclosedprepaid architectures and methods accurately determine if a subscriberhas sufficient account balance to deliver a complete short message,prior to delivery of the message. The short message may be preventedfrom being delivered (either at the source end or at the destinationend) if insufficient funds are in the subscriber's account.

[0017] Short messaging architectures are significantly different frommere telephone systems, and thus prepaid short messaging is quitedifferent from prepaid voice telephone calls. Accordingly, theimplementation of prepaid accounting for short messaging encountersdifferent issues than does prepaid accounting for voice telephone calls.

[0018] For instance, voice telephone calls are conventionally billed ortariffed based on a length of the telephone call. However, such billingor tariffing is not useable for short message cost recovery because mostshort messages can be transmitted in a blink of an eye, or at the mostjust a few seconds. Thus, prepaid voice telephone techniques andapparatus provide no workable solution to tariffing for short messages.

[0019] In a short messaging system, the length of the short message isknown at the time of transmission (unlike voice telephone calls whichare indefinite in nature, and must be ‘cut off’ when account balancesdwindle). For instance, the approximate total number of ASCII typecharacters will be known, or the approximate total size of a transferredfile may be known. Thus, in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention, short messages may be tariffed based on the substanceof the short message being transferred.

[0020] This is significantly different from that encountered inconventional prepaid voice telephone systems, where the costing of aparticular voice telephone call can be finalized only after completionof the voice telephone call. It is only after someone in the voicetelephone call has hung up that the final length of the telephone call(and thus the final total cost of the telephone call) can be known.Thus, either prepaid voice telephone call accounts run the risk of beingoverdrawn to a negative balance, and/or the subscriber (and their calledparty) may be subject to embarrassing and inconvenient disconnects in anongoing telephone call corresponding to the point at which the accountbalance becomes drawn down to $0.00.

[0021] Conventionally, wireless & Internet Messaging services have beencapable of billing only on a postpaid basis. The present inventionenables a wireless carrier or Internet service provider to acceptprepayment of enhanced short messaging services, including but notlimited to short messages originated by a wireless device (e.g., ShortMessage Service Mobile Originated (SMSC MO)), short messages terminatedby a wireless device, i.e., sent to a wireless device (SMSC MobileTerminated (SMSC MT)), and IRC and other chat messages. In addition,Internet Push information service short messages may be prepaid (e.g.,stock quotes, e-mail, weather, sports scores, etc.), as can individual &network game cards, and/or Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) services.

[0022] A U.S. patent application disclosing an architecture and methodfor providing prepaid voice call management in an intelligent network isdisclosed in a co-owned application, U.S. application Ser. No.09/533,805, entitled “PREPAID CALL MANAGEMENT IN INTELLIGENT NETWORK”,by Elizabeth Countryman, Timothy J. Lorello, Mark Titus, and Dara Ung,the entirety of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.Conventionally, wireless and Internet short messaging services have beencapable of billing, if at all, only on a postpaid basis. A prepaid shortmessaging service in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention enables a wireless carrier or Internet service provider toaccept pre-payment of both simple (i.e., short text messages) as well asenhanced (e.g., WAP applications, HTML documents, etc.) short messagingservices.

[0023] In accordance with the principles of the present invention,real-time billing can be implemented for the delivery of short messages,allowing the prepayment of short messaging services. The real-timebilling can debit subscriber balances for service usage, and can suspendshort messaging services for a particular subscriber when thesubscriber's account balance is depleted. Preferably, the subscriber cancontinue their short messaging service by depositing additional fundsinto their account via a suitable replenishment method.

[0024] For instance, a user may access a direct interface to a creditcard authorization center to debit funds from a credit card and applythe same to their short messaging account. Replenishment mayalternatively be accomplished over the Internet or via a suitable SMSCmobile originated message. Voice recognition techniques may beimplemented to facilitate easy fund transfers into a users shortmessaging account.

[0025] A prepaid short messaging service in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention can be implemented as a stand-aloneservice, or may be bundled with other applications, e.g., with a prepaidvoice telephone call wireless application.

[0026]FIG. 1 shows an exemplary prepaid SMSC mobile originated mobilechat scenario in an implementation including a prepaid messaging systemcontroller (SMSC) mobile originated (MO) chat, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention. While FIG. 1 shows the particularexample of a mobile originated chat message, it is to be understood thatthe prepaid messaging system and methods in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention are also applicable to many othermessage types.

[0027] A U.S. patent application disclosing an architecture and methodfor providing Internet chat capability to mobile units is described in aco-owned application, U.S. application Ser. No. 09/525,926, entitled“MOBILE ORIGINATED INTERNET RELAY CHAT”, by Richard A. Smith, Orville A.Pike, and Johanna Wilson, the entirety of which is expresslyincorporated herein by reference.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, a prepaid short messaging server 200, incommunication with a short messaging service center (SMSC) 120. The SMSC120 includes, e.g., an SMSC database 130, and accesses the Internet 195via an appropriate wireless Internet gateway 140. A suitable wirelessInternet gateway 140 is shown and described in co-pending U.S.application Ser. No. 09/630,762 to Richard Smith, filed Aug. 2, 2000,entitled “Wireless Internet Gateway”, the entirety of which isexplicitly incorporated herein by reference.

[0029] By way of example, short messages may be passed between, e.g.,Applets/Intelligent agents 160, personal digital assistants (PDAs) suchas a PalmPilot™ Internet Push or Gaming card device 185, and Desktopchat clients 190.

[0030] In the given example, a chat server and/or gaming server 170 isshown within the network of the prepaid service provider. Of course, thechat server 170 may be external to the service provider's network andaccessible via the Internet 195.

[0031] The prepaid short messaging server 200 comprises a prepaid shortmessaging account database 110, a prepaid short messaging serviceapplication 100, and a prepaid short messaging service rating engine(i.e., prepaid tariff engine) 150.

[0032] The prepaid tariff engine 150 preferably supports data drivenrating structures that can be modified at run time.

[0033] The prepaid tariff engine 150 is preferably extensible over aTCP/IP network (e.g., the Internet 195), and supports remote interactionwith the Short Message Service Center (SMSC) 120 & web chat servers(e.g., 170) for the purpose of applying a real-time billing charge foreach message.

[0034] The prepaid tariff engine 150 preferably supports tariffing basedon the following message types: Short Message Service Mobile Originated(SMSC MO), SMSC Mobile Terminated (SMSC MT), Prepaid Internet ChatRooms/Messages, Prepaid Internet Push information service messages(e.g., stock quotes, e-mail, weather, sports scores, etc.), PrepaidIndividual & Network Game cards/applications, and Wireless ApplicationProtocol (WAP) services.

[0035] A prepaid short messaging service in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention preferably supports service providercreation of subscriber classes of service that define and uniquelyidentify subscriber rate and/or tariffing plans used to apply real-timebilling charges for sending or receiving of messages. Moreover, theprepaid short messaging service preferably supports Internet web pageaccess to subscriber's relating to their short messaging accountbalances and status maintained in the prepaid short messaging database110 of the prepaid messaging server 200.

[0036] While the prepaid messaging server 200 is shown comprising theprepaid tariff engine 150, prepaid messaging service application 100 andprepaid short messaging account database 110, each of these elements maybe external to the prepaid messaging server 200, or combined withanother element of the service provider's network, in accordance withthe principles of the present invention.

[0037] Prepaid delivery of a chat message is shown in sequential stepsin FIG. 1.

[0038] In particular, in step 1, using a wireless handset device (i.e.,mobile phone, palm pilot, etc.) Mobile A 102, provisioned with prepaidchat service, registers into a chat session & composes a short messageservice mobile originated (SMSC MO) message targeted for all chat roomparticipants. In this example chat room participants are Mobile B 104,Mobile C 106 and the Desktop Chat Client 190 as indicated in FIG. 1.Note in this example Mobiles B & C (104, 106), and the Desktop Chatclient 190 are non-prepaid accounts.

[0039] In step 2, the SMSC application 120 receives an SMSC mobileoriginated message from Mobile A 102, validates the identity of Mobile A102, then queries the prepaid short messaging account database 110 todetermine if sufficient balance exists to deliver the message originatedby Mobile A 102. If the Mobile A 102 account balance is not sufficient,then proceed to step 10, otherwise if sufficient balance exists inMobile A's prepaid account, the SMSC 120 forwards Mobile A's message tothe chat server 170 (step 8), and notifies the prepaid short messagingservice application 100 with a delivery receipt message (step 3).

[0040] In step 3, the prepaid messaging service 100 receives aninterservice message from the SMSC application 120.

[0041] In step 4, the prepaid messaging service application 100processes the delivery receipt message received from SMSC 120. Themessage contents may include, e.g., Mobile A's mobile identificationnumber (MIN), Time of delivery, Time of Arrival, Message Status, and/orMessage Type.

[0042] In step 5, the prepaid messaging service 100 invokes the prepaidtariff engine 150 to determine the appropriate message billing basedupon, including but not limited to, the following exemplary criteria:Flat rate per message, message count (e.g., 10 messages @ $5.00),character count (e.g., $0.01/char.), Time of Day, Day of Week (i.e.,peak & non-peak hours), and/or mobile location (i.e., network pointcode).

[0043] In step 6, the prepaid messaging service 100 debits the accountof Mobile A 102 based upon the billing rate as computed by the prepaidtariff engine 150.

[0044] In step 7, the chat server 170 processes Mobile A's message,determines group members in the current chat session, then forwards a“broadcast mobile terminated message” request to the SMSC 120 fordelivery to Mobile B 104 & Mobile C 106. The chat server 170 deliversthe message to the desktop chat client 190.

[0045] In step 8, the SMSC 120 stores and forwards the broadcast messagefor delivery to Mobile B 104 & Mobile C 106 (step 5).

[0046] In step 9, Mobiles B & C (104, 106) receive the messageoriginated from Mobile A 102.

[0047] In step 10, the SMSC 102 has determined that Mobile A's accountbalance is insufficient to deliver the originated message. The SMSC 120then discards the originated message and launches an SMSC mobileterminated message for Mobile A 102. The message contents inform MobileA 102 that his/her prepaid account balance is too low and that Mobile A102 needs to recharge the account in order to continue service.

[0048] In step 11, the same process would apply for the SMSC mobileterminated message delivery scenario where Mobiles B & C (104, 106) areprepaid subscribers.

[0049] The prepaid short messaging service 100 preferably interfaceswith a Short Message Service Center 120 and/or Web servers (e.g., 140,170) to provide real-time message billing based on pre-payment. Theprepaid short messaging service 100 prevents delivery of messages forconditions where the subscriber balance is insufficient.

[0050] The prepaid short messaging service 100 preferably interfaceswith a Short Message Service Center 120 and/or Web servers (140, 170) toprovide real-time and/or periodic notifications to subscribers ofinsufficient balance conditions.

[0051] The prepaid short messaging service 100 preferably interfaceswith a Short Message Service Center 120 and/or Web servers 140, 170 tobuffer subscriber messages for a variable period of time and informsubscribers of pending messages. The application preferably suspendssubscriber service until their account balance has been sufficientlyreplenished.

[0052] The prepaid short messaging account database 110 may be managedby the relevant service provider, e.g., by a wireless service or anInternet Service Provider (ISP)

[0053]FIG. 2 shows in more detail the prepaid server shown in FIG. 1.

[0054] In particular, as shown in FIG. 2, the prepaid servicearchitecture is distributed and extensible over a local or wide areanetwork. The prepaid short messaging server 200 contains the subscriberdata and server processing logic required for basic call processing,communication with the Web & SMSC servers, message tariffing (i.e.,rating engine) and subscriber balance updates. The IntelligentPeripheral 250 contains service logic responsible for providingreplenishment functions via the Integrated Voice Response system 254.

[0055] The present invention relates to use by, e.g., wireless carriers,Internet service providers (ISPs), information content deliveryservices/providers, portal sites for mobile-terminated hosting of chatgroups, Internet chat session hosts, and/or Internet gaming hosts. Theprinciples of the invention may be used in intelligent networksincluding, e.g., short message servicing centers, prepaid and webgateway applications, prepaid paging systems, prepaid Internet access,prepaid gaming cards, and/or prepaid Internet chat sessions.

[0056] The prepaid tariff engine 150 preferably supports tariffing basedon message-based (and not time based) criteria.

[0057] For example, the prepaid tariff engine 150 may base the feecharged to the subscriber based on, e.g., a flat rate per message,message count (e.g., 10 messages @ $5.00), character count (e.g.,$0.01/char.), Time of Day, Day of Week (i.e., peak & non-peak hours),mobile location (i.e., network point code).

[0058] In addition, or alternatively, the rates for delivery of theshort message may be based on its type, e.g., distinguishing ratesbetween Short Message Service Mobile Originated (SMSC MO) messages, SMSCMobile Terminated (SMSC MT) messages, Internet chat room messages,and/or information service messages (e.g., stock quotes, e-mail,weather, sports scores, gaming, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)messages, etc.).

[0059] Preferably, delivery of short messages is prevented if theprepaid short messaging service application 100 determines, from queryof the prepaid short messaging database 110, that insufficient fundsremain for delivery of a given short message. In such a case, areal-time short message notification may be provided to the subscriberindicating the non-delivery of the short message the insufficiency of anaccount balance in a suitable short message format. Additionally, oralternatively, the short message notifications may be deliveredperiodically and/or upon demand.

[0060]FIG. 3 shows an exemplary process of implementing prepaidmessaging services, in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention.

[0061] In particular, as shown in step 302 of FIG. 3, a short message isreceived for delivery.

[0062] In step 304, tariffing of the short message is performed in theprepaid tariff engine 150.

[0063] In step 306, the balance of the sender's account is determined,e.g., from query of a subscriber short messaging account database 110.Note that in short messaging, the exact cost of transmitting the messageis known up front, and thus the risk of overdrawing a particular accountbalance is reduced or eliminated.

[0064] In step 308, if a sufficient subscriber account balance remains,the short message is delivered as depicted in step 310. If sufficientsubscriber account balance does not remain, the delivery of the shortmessage may be prevented, as depicted in step 312. It is preferred thatin this case the subscriber be notified, e.g., by short messaging suchas a text message, that the particular short message was not delivereddue to a determination of an insufficient subscriber account balance.

[0065]FIG. 4 shows the step of performing message tariffing 304 shown inFIG. 3 in more detail.

[0066] In particular, as shown in FIG. 4, tariffing may be based, e.g.,on flat rate message billing (step 402), a particular rate given percharacter in a text file or for a particular length of a given file(step 404), and/or based on a particular message type (step 406). Theparticular tariffing technique may be configurable by the serviceprovider and/or selectable by the subscriber, e.g., by choice of aparticular service plan.

[0067] If flat rate message billing 402 is enabled, a subject shortmessage is logged and the subscriber's account in the prepaid accountdatabase 110 is appropriately debited a fixed amount per message, asshown in step 408.

[0068] If, on the other hand, a rate is affixed in accordance with thenumber of text characters and/or the length of a particular file (e.g.,a binary file), then a particular cost is associated with the subjectshort message, as depicted in step 410.

[0069] If a rate is applied based on a particular type of short message,then the message type is determined in step 412, and a cost associatedwith that particular message type (e.g., as determined from a look-upfile) as shown in step 414.

[0070] Step 415 ensures billing is performed by providing a defaultbilling mechanism.

[0071] As shown in optional step 416, adjustments may be made to thecosting assigned in prior steps due to peak hour usage. For instance, a20% premium may be added to the costs associated with the transmissionof a particular short message based on the time of submission fortransmission.

[0072] The prepaid short messaging system preferably supports directinterface to a credit card authorization center associated with theservice provider's merchant identification number, and allowsreplenishment over the Internet. The direct interface may be implementedvia a secure socket connection over the Internet 195 to an authorizedInternet server.

[0073] The prepaid short messaging service application 100 preferablysupports indirect interface to a credit card authorization centerassociated with the service provider's merchant identification number,and allows replenishment via an SMSC mobile originated message. Forinstance, in such a scenario, a mobile subscriber typically has asignature on file with the service provider, as well as authorizedspending limits for mobile replenishment transactions. The directinterface may be implemented via a secure socket connection over theInternet 195 to an authorized Internet server.

[0074] The prepaid short messaging service application 100 preferablysupports a prepaid subscriber replenishing their account via credit cardat their discretion, e.g., by dialing an Interactive Voice Response Unit(IVRU 254 shown in FIG. 2). Using this technique, a subscriber isprompted to either speak or manually enter their credit card information(e.g., number and expiration date), and the transaction is thenprocessed automatically.

[0075] Of course, the principles of the present invention may encourageand/or implement transmission of short messages during non-peak orotherwise desirable times to reduce costs.

[0076] While the invention has been described with reference to theexemplary embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will be able tomake various modifications to the described embodiments of the inventionwithout departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of handling a prepaid short messagingservice, comprising: tariffing a short message before transmission;querying an account database to determine if an account corresponding toan addressed party of said short message has sufficient funds to pay fortransmission of said short message; and if said account has sufficientfunds, transmitting said short message.
 2. The method of handling aprepaid short messaging service according to claim 1, furthercomprising: debiting said account prior to transmission of said shortmessage.
 3. The method of handling a prepaid short messaging serviceaccording to claim 1, further comprising: sending an unsuccessfulmessage to said addressed party to notify them of the non-transmissionof said short message due to insufficient funds indicated in saidaccount.
 4. The method of handling a prepaid short messaging serviceaccording to claim 1, wherein: said addressed party is a sender of saidshort message.
 5. The method of handling a prepaid short messagingservice according to claim 1, wherein: said addressed party is arecipient of said short message.
 6. The method of handling a prepaidshort messaging service according to claim 1, further comprising:receiving said short message from a subscriber.
 7. The method ofhandling a prepaid short messaging service according to claim 1, furthercomprising: receiving said short message from a mobile servicing center.8. The method of handling a prepaid short messaging service according toclaim 1, wherein: said tariffing is based on a flat rate per shortmessage.
 9. The method of handling a prepaid short messaging serviceaccording to claim 1, wherein: said tariffing is based on a rate perlength of said short message.
 10. The method of handling a prepaid shortmessaging service according to claim 1, wherein: said tariffingimplements peak and non-peak times, and asserts higher fees fortransmissions during peak times.
 11. The method of handling a prepaidshort messaging service according to claim 1, wherein: said tariffingutilizes different rates for different message types.
 12. The method ofhandling a prepaid short messaging service according to claim 11,wherein said different message types include at least one of thefollowing: mobile terminated messages; mobile originated messages; andIRC messages.
 13. The method of handling a prepaid short messagingservice according to claim 1, further comprising: preventing messagedelivery if said account does not have sufficient funds.
 14. The methodof handling a prepaid short messaging service according to claim 1,further comprising: automatically transmitting a short message to asubscriber regarding an insufficient balance in said account.
 15. Themethod of handling a prepaid short messaging service according to claim14, wherein: said automatic short message transmission is performedperiodically.
 16. Apparatus for handling a prepaid short messagingservice, comprising: means for tariffing a short message beforetransmission; means for querying an account database to determine if anaccount corresponding to said addressed party of said short message hassufficient funds to pay for transmission of said short message; andmeans for transmitting said short message if said account has sufficientfunds.
 17. The apparatus for handling a prepaid short messaging serviceaccording to claim 16, further comprising: means for debiting saidaccount prior to transmission of said short message.
 18. The apparatusfor handling a prepaid short messaging service according to claim 16,further comprising: means for sending an unsuccessful message to saidaddressed party to notify them of the non-transmission of said shortmessage due to insufficient funds indicated in said account.
 19. Theapparatus for handling a prepaid short messaging service according toclaim 16, wherein: said addressed party is a sender of said shortmessage.
 20. The apparatus for handling a prepaid short messagingservice according to claim 16, wherein: said addressed party is arecipient of said short message.
 21. The apparatus for handling aprepaid short messaging service according to claim 16, furthercomprising: means for receiving said short message from a subscriber.22. The apparatus for handling a prepaid short messaging serviceaccording to claim 16, further comprising: means for receiving saidshort message from a mobile servicing center.
 23. The apparatus forhandling a prepaid short messaging service according to claim 16,wherein: said means for tariffing prices said short messages based on aflat rate per short message.
 24. The apparatus for handling a prepaidshort messaging service according to claim 16, wherein: said means fortariffing prices said short messages based on a rate per length of saidshort message.
 25. The apparatus for handling a prepaid short messagingservice according to claim 16, wherein: said means for tariffingimplements peak and non-peak times, and asserts higher fees fortransmissions during peak times.
 26. The apparatus for handling aprepaid short messaging service according to claim 16, wherein: saidmeans for tariffing utilizes different rates for different messagetypes.
 27. The apparatus for handling a prepaid short messaging serviceaccording to claim 26, wherein said different message types include atleast one of the following: mobile terminated messages; mobileoriginated messages; and IRC messages.
 28. The apparatus for handling aprepaid short messaging service according to claim 16, furthercomprising: means for preventing message delivery if said account doesnot have sufficient funds.
 29. The apparatus for handling a prepaidshort messaging service according to claim 16, further comprising: meansfor automatically transmitting a short message to a subscriber regardingan insufficient balance in said account.
 30. The apparatus for handlinga prepaid short messaging service according to claim 29, wherein: saidmeans for automatically transmitting said short message periodicallytransmits said short message.